Head Banging Termites

Creationist Dr. James Johnson has studied termite mounds. These little insects have a caste system that includes reproductives, workers, and soldiers. Sentinel soldiers are responsible to guard the entrance to the mound. They also will travel out (up to 30ft from their home mound) with worker termites to protect these workers who are gathering food. The soldiers will sound an alarm if they see a predator, like an aardvark, approaching. How do they communicate this impending danger back to the mound? They bang their head rapidly on the ground (11 times per second). This makes a noise that can be heard 40 cm away. Another head-banger termites will then pick up the same message in seconds and spread it down the line. That way the whole colony quickly receives the whirring message. Hearing the warning, workers scurry for cover and soldiers form ranks to come out and fight to defend the nest. You can check out the “head banging” sound if you click here. Who taught these amazing little fellows to make a woodpecker-like noise to sound the alarm? How did they learn to get in a line, pick up the message and pass the warning along the “telephone” line? Could this have slowly evolved over millions of years? It is difficult to see how it would be advantageous until the whole mechanism was completely functional. “”For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (I Corinthians 14:8).

Posted on December 2, 2023 by dwoetzel.